President Moon Jae-in explains his government’s job-creation policies at Hey Ground, a social venture center in Seongdong-gu District, Seoul, on Oct. 18.

By Yoon Sojung

Photos = Hyoja-dong Studio 

The government announced on Oct. 18 a five-year job creation plan designed to pursue the goal of “people-centered, sustainable growth.” 

During the third meeting of the Presidential Committee on Job Creation, President Mon Jae-in unveiled his government`s job-creation policy roadmap. It will focus on supporting innovation-led growth and vitalizing the "social economy." The meeting took place at Hey Ground, a social venture center located in Seongdong-gu District, Seoul. 

President Moon said, “Through our job-creation policies, we will create 810,000 new jobs in the public sector.” He said his government will recruit 174,000 new civil servants, including police and firefighters. The president also said that 340,000 jobs will be created in the social services sector, including childcare and at nursing homes, that 300,000 jobs will be created by changing non-regular workers into regular workers, and by employing more people at public organizations. 

President Moon Jae-in (center) looks at the products on display at a venture startup located at the Hey Ground center in Seongdong-gu District, Seoul, on Oct. 18.

To create more jobs in the private sector, President Moon said that the key was to support the establishment of innovative businesses in the "social economy." 

President Moon said, “Innovative businesses in the `social economy` will considerably widen areas of economic activity and greatly contribute to youth employment at the same time.” 

He said that the government will provide more paid leave to researchers, professors and to employees at public organization in order to lead the innovation-led growth. In order to encourage them to actively start new businesses, the president also said that their performance in terms of innovation will be connected to their human resources evaluations. 

“The `social economy` will become an alternative to overcome jobless growth and economic polarization, which the Korean economy faces,” said the president. 

He vowed to bolster support for non-profit organizations and social enterprises so that the government and public organizations can provide them with more policy support and can help them enter into new sectors. 

President Moon said, “Creating quality jobs will be the top priority of our government throughout my term. Our government will actively carry out policies to create a ‘people-centered economy.’” 

President Moon Jae-in (center) poses for a selfie with Hey Ground employees in Seongdong-gu District, Seoul, on Oct. 18.

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